Overview

• The 5.4-magnitude tremor struck at 2:04 am PST on August 2 at a depth of 102 km with its epicenter in Afghanistan’s Hindukush region, according to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre.
• A follow-up 4.8-magnitude earthquake occurred at 00:40 IST on August 3 at just 10 km depth, as reported by the National Centre for Seismology.
• Both events prompted panic across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Islamabad, with residents rushing outdoors and reciting verses from the Quran.
• No casualties or structural damage have been reported, though the shallow depth of the latest tremor underscores the potential for stronger surface shaking.
• Pakistan’s position on the collision zone between the Indian and Eurasian plates leaves provinces such as Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan particularly vulnerable to frequent seismic activity.